The Last Crit – Does Age Really Matter? Not When the Cycling’s HOT

Enough already. The third crit for the year. Dear National Cycling Club Association, we are OVER it…them…criterium racing…for this year anyways.

Sorry for shouting but we–well, maybe it’s just me–are more than satisfied with this year’s quota of flat circular racing. Tainan, Taichung, and finally Changhua.

True, we were pumped, surrounded by the vibrant hum of high end bicycle design and manufacture in the Taichung-Changhua corridor. But we’ll be glad to get back up into the hills really soon. It’s cooler for starters.

What a funny old year. The first criterium was almost rained out. The next two saw everyone roasted within an inch of their lives. Sunday’s crit was by the ocean sea so we got a lick of sea breeze to soothe fevered brows a tad after midday.

It didn’t help cool things down too much though.

The M50 division were absolutely on fire and clearly responsible for raising the temperature into the high 30s.

Fastest group for the day

Here the guys are negotiating the tricky first corner some 150m from the start.

Already at full steam, they completed their 6 (x5 km) laps in 45.05. The slowest was the M19 at 52.42, a fact that the commentator did not let them forget in what turned out to be a long afternoon.

Wen-Sheng prefers the climbs to the crits, but he’s just as amped on the flat.

That corner is as tight as they come. But just about everyone took this at full pace. That involved a wide entry and wide exit.

Wen-Sheng (pictured) was with the leading group although, they got away a bit from him towards the end. No probs. After the event, he grabs his DSLR, finds a good pozzie or two and spends the rest of the day crit shooting: a fierce competitor and an awesome photographer.

30 years the senior of most of the others she eventually finished off the pace.

But not by that much!

It’s all I need; It’s all I want

Some young ladies were more than happy to potter around without a backward glance at the higher octane adult shenanigans a few meters behind her. Will she remember her first bike? Mine was a hand-me-trike… Young lady, I hope you appreciate all you’ve got!!